Inspiring Youth

Thu., Aug 19

Stanley Battle, Southern's new interim president, recently told an audience of about 80 middle school students in Hartford that if they want to go to college, they need to start preparing themselves now. "Be yourself, don't quit, and don't let anyone get in the way of you accomplishing your dreams," Battle advised the students, campers at the Trinity College Dream Camp, a program whose mission is to transform the lives of low-income urban youth.

This year's Dream Camp served about 300 Hartford children ages 6 to 16 in a five-week summer program on the Trinity campus. Now in its 13th season, the summer camp and year-round academic mentoring program provides a fun, educational, and safe environment for participating elementary school through high school students. Its mission, as stated on its website, says that together with families and schools, "Dream Camp develops young leaders who embrace challenges, seize opportunities and overcome obstacles, and are inspired to live their dreams."
 
Battle was invited to be a guest speaker at the camp by Dan Swartz, an associate professor of exercise science and a member of the Dream Camp staff. Battle's topic was how to achieve success in school and beyond, and he used his own experience as a young student as an example.

Battle told his audience that as a child, school was not always easy for him. "I had to work very hard," he said, after realizing in junior high that he needed to apply himself if he wanted to succeed. He told the campers that his parents impressed upon him the importance of hard work, integrity and an active compassion for those less fortunate.

Battle talked about the neighborhood he grew up in -- the Winchester Square area in Springfield, Mass. It was a tough neighborhood, but his street, Quincy St., was "an interesting street," he said, with several tight, intact families. Many families on the street sent their children off to college, a few to Ivy League institutions. Several of his childhood peers got into trouble, Battle said, but "my mother was relentless -- she didn't take any hostages, and neither did my father," so he toed the line. One student asked him what was the worst thing he did when he was young. Battle confessed he "broke a few windows playing baseball."

The Dream Campers listened attentively to Battle's stories and advice. When they asked him for specific suggestions on how to succeed as students and in life, Battle advised them, "Be careful about who you associate with. Surround yourself with people who support you and your dreams. Discipline is not easy, and there are people who will expect you not to be disciplined. Prove them wrong. You may feel pressure to drink alcohol, to be in a gang. There's no rush to taking on adult responsibilities -- they will stop you and prevent you from going to school."

Battle emphasized to his audience that academic success does not necessarily mean straight A's, as long as a student is working hard and doing his best. He told the campers to read every day: "If you do not read and ask questions, you will not be successful." 

At the conclusion of his talk, the students surrounded Battle at the front of the room, bubbling over with more questions, and he invited any camper who was interested in learning more about university life to be in touch with him and visit him at Southern. "A president of a university is responsible for young adults just like you," Battle told the students, encouraging them to take another step along the path to higher education.